The Kenyan sports betting market is one of the oldest on the African continent. It is one of the three largest sports betting markets in Africa; the other three leading markets are Nigeria and South Africa. This is why we want to pay special attention to Kenya.
The Kenyan market is not only a large market, however, but above all an enormously fast-growing one. This is good because you can expect new and better offers from the betting sites on a regular basis as they fight for the market. Here we not only introduce you to the best bookmakers in Kenya, but also reveal where to find valuable betting tips, promotions and bonus offers.
- Very large sportsbook
- Many payment options
- Great betting app
- Regular multiple promotions
- Good sports betting offer
- User-friendly Android and iOS App
- Competitive odds
- Country specific payment options
- Lack of promotional offers
- No 24/7 user support
- Paying with cryptocurrencies
- Smooth betting app
- Huge amount of betting markets
- Website a bit crammed
- EXCLUSIVE bonus offer
- Live betting experience
- Live streams
- Payment methods in some areas
- vast live betting offer
- big welcome bonus
- mobile payment options
- stats features lack depth
- One of the leading bookmaker worldwide
- Many betting offers & large sportsbook
- Livestreams
- No local currencies
- competitive odds
- fair payout rate (avg. approx. 94%)
- excellent Premier League odds
- no bet builder option
- excellent sportsbook with many betting options
- very good live betting offer
- fair odds
- lack of payment options as only Mpesa is available
- Straightforward navigation
- Fantastic odds
- Excellent customer support
- Missing payment options
- Large Sports Book
- Strong Odds
- Numerous Deposit Options
- Many Promotions
- Variety of Esports bets
- User-friendly interface & design
- Very good welcome offer
- No native app for iOS devices
- Vast array of betting markets
- Live streams
- Attractive bonus offers
- Mobile app could use a rebrush
- Withdrawal takes a bit long
- huge sports book
- plenty payment options
- Powerful Betting Apps
- Only Casino Welcome Bonus
- Fast and simple registration
- Many betting markets
- Limited payment options
- Customer support needs improvement
- Many betting promotions
- Huge welcome bonus
- Deposits only via Mpesa
- Small sportsbook
- Cashout tool available
- Live streams
- Average odds
The Kenyan Betting Market
Sports betting is the most popular form of gambling in Kenya. Accordingly, there are also many providers that regularly run promotions to win players’ favour. Mobile betting in particular is extremely popular in the country. It is therefore crucial for betting providers in Kenya to offer a good and well-functioning betting apps. In addition to the betting and odds themselves, background information, personalisation options and live stream offers are of course also very interesting.
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What Factors Make a Betting Site Stand Out?
Not all betting sites are equally good, and often not all of them will fulfil your personal needs. Depending on what type of punter you are, your preferences will influence the best choice of bookmaker. Ultimately, however, every bettor wants to win more than they lose and have a smooth experience when placing their bets. So what factors make good betting sites stand out from the rest?
1. User Experience
This aspect of the user experience cannot be emphasised enough. Whether you are browsing on your desktop or mobile phone or using the bookmaker’s mobile app, the experience must be flawless throughout. Does the site load at a snail’s pace, do you have to search for far too long to find the desired event/ betting market, is the homepage clearly laid out so that you can easily see and recognise everything? Many aspects play a role here, which together make up a good or bad user experience.
Additionally, even without a mobile app, the betting site must be mobile-friendly and must make your mobile betting experience similar to the desktop experience, or even better.
2. Available Features, Offers, and Promotions
There is enormous competition between bookmakers, which is all the better for the players. This tug of war means that many providers regularly offer promotions and games to attract customers. Usually, sports betting sites offer new customers a welcome bonus. This can take many different forms. Either the first deposit is increased as a percentage up to a maximum amount (e.g. 100% up to 50,000 KES) or you receive a free bet or, for example, if you lose your first bet a cashback bonus. You can find the best betting bonus offers in Kenya here.
Other promotions reward the loyalty of existing customers. There are promotions that offer you additional insurances against losses, for example if only a selection of your betting slip is lost. What about odds boosts? Are cash-outs available? Are there free bet competitions or raffles? For many players, special offers such as those just mentioned are very important. They provide fun, motivation and a certain extra thrill.
3. Customer Service
Any company that doesn’t prioritise customer service doesn’t deserve your support. It’s as simple as that! This also applies to sports betting websites. If you have to go from pillar to post to get answers to your questions or to resolve urgent issues, you should take your betting account elsewhere as soon as possible. You shouldn’t have to wait hours for your enquiry to be dealt with.
How many channels are available to you if you want to get in touch with the betting sites? Email only? In this day and age, just having an email contact is no longer enough. The bookmaker should also have other contact channels such as social media, a phone line or at least live chat. In addition, the staff should be able to help in both Swahili and English.
4. Market Volume
Some betting sites only focus on a number of main markets, which is enough for many people. However, if you have higher expectations and want to create personalised bets, maybe with a betting configurator (e.g. team A wins + player B scores a goal + more yellow cards in the 2nd half), then you should take a closer look when choosing a bookmaker. While some bookmakers offer just 30-50 different betting options with no possible combinations, other bookies offer 200-300 options and a betting configurator.
Of course, it is also important to know which sports, countries and leagues are available. There are also significant differences here. By the way, if you need inspiration or help with your bets, or are overwhelmed by what’s on offer, visit our betting tips page.
5. Reliability & Transparency
Is their service as per their advertisements, or is everything grossly exaggerated? When they say payout takes minutes, is that true or does it, in reality, take days? Your answer to all these questions are to be found in customer points of view on social media and betting review sites.
Does their service deliver what the advert promises, or is it all greatly exaggerated? When they say it only takes minutes to pay out, is that true, or does it actually take days? How honest are they when it comes to their terms and conditions? Do they change them regularly or do they at least communicate changes openly? A look at customer reviews or our experience reports could help here.
Based on the factors listed above, and our tests of some of the betting sites that operate in Kenya, our top betting sites are 1xbet, 22bet, bet365 and Melbet. We explain why below.
1XBET ⇧
1xbet is one of the most popular betting sites in the world. The bookmaker operates in many countries around the world, including Kenya. When it comes to betting options, 1xbet (like bet365) stands out by offering more betting options that most of the other bookmakers – such as “no team to score three times in a row”.
The deposit and withdrawal options at 1xbet are simply amazing. 1xbet offers 42 channels for deposits to your account and 34 channels for withdrawals, most of which take a maximum of 15 minutes according to the bookmaker.
When it comes to promotions, 1xbet always puts the pedal to the metal, with numerous ongoing promotions such as Happy Friday and Wednesday deposit bonus offered alongside the welcome bonus for new customers. Speaking of welcome bonuses, 1xbet offers a 100% welcome bonus on your first deposit up to an amount of 10,000 Kenyan shillings. For more details about the bookmaker, please read our 1xBet review.
22BET ⇧
22bet is a relatively new provider on the Kenyan market, but has more than 12 years of experience in the sports betting industry. The 22bet website is user-friendly and has a simple interface that allows for straightforward navigation. The homepage is also not cluttered, making it easy to navigate for new bettors.
22bet also has strong customer support, ensuring that your questions are answered by staff with the necessary expertise. The betting options available at this bookmaker are also very widespread. It offers betting options on a range of popular and less popular sports, including UFC, boat racing, surfing, streetball, football, darts, squash, to name just a few. Our 22bet review also shows that the bookie offers very high odds.
The bookie offers many withdrawal and deposit methods. Overall, it has about 18 deposit methods including M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Visa and Mastercard debit cards, as well as cryptocurrency sources. It offers withdrawal through most of the deposit channels too.
At the moment, the bookie only offers pre-play and live sports betting; there is currently no casino games options. In terms of bonuses, there is a standard 100% welcome bonus for new customers up to the tune of 15,000 KES. However, you need to make a minimum deposit of 100 KES to access the bonus. Other bonuses include the Friday Reload Sportsbook Bonus, which is also a 100% deposit bonus.
Bet365 ⇧
Bet365 is one of the biggest players in the global sports betting market. In Kenya, it has also cemented its position as one of the best options for bettors in the country. The bet365 homepage is very clear and attractively designed. Experienced bettors will appreciate the well-organised betting pages. Here you get a great overall package consisting of a broad and deep range of bets, strong odds, promotions and excellent customer support. Bet365 is popular and successful in so many countries that you really can’t go wrong here.
The bet365 new customer bonus changes at certain intervals. At the time of our test, there was a rather weak 15% to $60 bonus. Although the amount is not particularly impressive, the wagering requirements are easy to fulfil. You can find more information in our bet365 bonus review.
MELBET ⇧
Melbet is a relatively new betting site in Kenya, but it is already one of the most used bookmakers in the East African country. Melbet is a role model for diverse sports betting and competitive odds. The sportsbook offers over 30 sports including rugby, athletics, football and many more. They also offer an amazing exclusive Melbet Kenya sign up bonus and promotions. So if you’re looking for a bookmaker where you’ll get good value for your investment, then Melbet is the place for you.
Registering with Melbet is a breeze. Customers can create an account in minutes without breaking a sweat and are rewarded with up to 200% on their first deposit up to KES 26,280. However, to enjoy the exclusive LiveTipsPortal bonus, customers must enter the promo code ml_110049 to receive an additional 30% bonus, which is up to KES 34,164. The minimum deposit to activate the bonus is 200 KES.
Depositing money into your betting account is also very easy. Melbet accepts mobile money payment methods such as Mpesa, which is widely used in Kenya. Customers can also enjoy a great betting experience with the Melbet mobile app. Basically, the app offers the same services as the desktop version, so live betting is seamless. And if you’re a casino fan, you’ll be spoilt for choice as there are plenty of casino games to choose from. The games include blackjack, baccarat, online slots, poker and many more.
All in all, your betting needs are in good hands at here and you won’t go wrong when you sign up with Melbet Kenya.
Conclusion
The Kenyan sports betting ecosystem is thriving and growing, attracting many local and global betting operators. However, not all betting sites are created equal; the leading betting sites in Kenya based on betting experience, great support, deposit and withdrawal options and interesting bonuses are 1xbet, 22bet, bet365 and Melbet. In our betting tips, you can read how to take advantage of the bonuses offered by these platforms. Don’t forget to read our in-depth bookmaker review on these bookmakers to further support your research.